AFI 100 Movies #97 Bringing Up Baby (1938)

Another entry into the 100 list in the "Screwball Comedy" genre.

Cary Grant stars as David Huxley, a paleontologist, who has been trying for years to complete the construction of a dinosaur skeleton. He only needs one more vital bone to complete his prized Brontosaurus skeleton and finish his life's great work.

David is trying to get on good terms with a wealthy benefactor, Mrs Random, who is considering giving a substantial amount of money to his museum. Apart from funding problems, David is about to get married to Alice, a young lady with an austere personality.

The day before his wedding he meets Susan Vance, a rather haphazard quirky young woman, who unknown to David, is Mrs Random's niece.

Susan takes delivery of a tame leopard, a gift intended for her aunt from her brother Mark. She seems to be under the impression that David is a zoologist and goes out of her way to get him to come to her country estate in order to help her with "Baby" the leopard.

Susan introduces David to her aunt as "Mr Bone" and things start to sprial out of control. Susan's dog George makes off with the final bone that David needs to finish his dinosaur skeleton and buries it somewhere. During the chaos that ensues Baby goes missing along with George, and just when it couldn't get any more crazy, enter a second leopard that has been mistakenly released from its cage while on its way to be put down after it mauled a man to death at a circus and the action really gets going.

There is something quite comforting about watching classic old black and white movies.

Cary Grant has the ability to play someone who is essentially a nerd, but still remain suave and charming. Katherine Hepburn's character is quite frankly bonkers! in a very entertaining way.

The movie bombed when it was first released, but has subsequently achieved classic status as the years have passed by. Grant and Hepburn clearly have a chemistry which is probably why they were paired together in three other movies.

I certainly liked this enough to want to see the other films that they made together.

AFI 100 Movies #99 Guess Who's Coming To Dinner (1967)

I liked this film quite a lot, I guess that makes me a wooly liberal.

Sidney Poitier plays Dr John Prentice, the film opens with Dr Prentice and his new girlfriend Joey Drayton returning to Joey's home city of San Francisco having nurtured a whirlwind romance only ten days before, when they met by chance in Hawaii.

They are so smitten with each other that they decide that they want to get married, and seek Joey's parents approval. Now, in 2011, you might think, what's the big deal? But in 1967 America was still coming to terms with legislative reforms won by the black civil rights movement.

Joey's parents are played by hollywood legends Spencer Tracy and Katherine Hepburn.

Matt Drayton (Spencer Tracy) is a successful businessman in the publishing sector, renowned for his liberal attitude concerning politics. When Joey comes home with John he is forced to question his own beliefs, his wife Christina (Katherine Hepburn), herself, a successful entrepreneur, is at first stunned by the news of their relationship, but soon realises how much in love they are and gives Joey her blessing.

So, what could possibly go wrong? John is a highly respected doctor, he is well mannered, and also insists on no sex before marriage, as he is worried that it might affect their relationship. There can't be any reason for Mr Drayton to object surely?

Well, it would seem (and Joey actually points this out) that Mr Drayton can see nothing wrong in two people of different races marrying, unless it's his daughter. Matt isn't the only one who shows prejudice toward John, the Drayton's maid, Tillie, who herself is black, thinks that John has ideas above his station, and makes it clear to him in no uncertain terms that she does not approve of his actions.

Things become even more tricky when John privately tells Mr and Mrs Drayton that if either of them disapproves of his proposal, he will do the honourable thing and call off the proposed wedding.

And, as if that wasn't enough, Joey invites her future in-laws to dinner, even though they don't yet know that she is white.

This was the first time I had seen Sidney Poitier on screen, and he has a real charisma, and presence. Hepburn and Tracy (in his last screen performance) simply ooze star quality. Despite the subject matter there are plenty of comedic moments to enjoy. Isabel Sanford is a real firecracker as Tillie the maid and certainly has some memorable moments.

Very enjoyable.